By Brian Peloza
Staff Writer

The Purdue women's tennis team won the big points Coach Mat Iandolo said would be necessary during a 4-3 victory over the Michigan Wolverines Saturday at the Lafayette Sports Center.

"On big points, when you play to win, good things will happen," said Iandolo. "I feel really good about how everyone played today and competed."

The Boilers' record is now 8-10 overall and 2-4 in the Big Ten. The loss drops Michigan to 7-8 overall.

Iandolo was happy with the way the Boilers bounced back from a defeat to Notre Dame earlier in the week.

"We were able to play very competitively and pull out a lot of close matches to beat Michigan," said Iandolo.

Two of those close matches were played at the No. 1 and No. 5 singles positions. Senior Jennifer Embry and junior Lisa Walgenbach both won second-set tiebreakers to preserve their straight set wins.

Iandolo was pleased with the attacking style and increased aggressiveness displayed by the players during those tiebreakers.

"I though they both did a good job of playing to win on the big points in their matches," Iandolo said.

Embry, playing at the No. 1 position, defeated Brooke Hart of Michigan 6-3, 7-6. The loss was the first in Big Ten play for Hart, who was the Big Ten player of the month for March. The win improved the singles record of Embry to 12-6.

Walgenbach overcame a 4-2 deficit in the tiebreaker and rallied to win 7-4. That win in the tiebreaker gave her a 6-3, 7-6 victory over Jennifer Duprez.

Purdue won the doubles point by claiming two of the three doubles matches.

The No. 1 doubles team of Embry and Shannon Taheny, ranked 20th in the nation, defeated Danielle Lund and Szandra Fuzesi of Michigan 8-4. The No. 3 doubles team of Melissa Iqbal and Erika Quebe clinched the doubles point by defeating Joanne Musgrove and Alison Sinclair 8-4.

Also winning in singles play was sophomore Lynsey Fick. Playing at the No. 6 singles position, Fick defeated Alison Sinclair of Michigan 6-3, 6-4.

The win gives the Boilers some momentum heading into postseason play.

"This sets us up for our stretch drive to get a high seed at the Big Ten Tournament, as well as getting a bid to the NCAA tournament as a team," Iandolo said.